Temporary Restrictions for Foreigners Entering Indonesia

January 21, 2021

Following the issuance of the COVID-19 Task Force’s Circular Letter No. 2 of 2021 dated January 14, 2021 on International Travel Health Protocols During the COVID-19 Pandemic (the “Task Force Circular”), the Director General of Immigration (the “DGOI”) issued Circular Letter No. IMI-0103.GR.01.01 of 2021 dated January 14, 2021 on Temporary Restrictions for Foreigners to Enter Indonesia During the COVID-19 Pandemic (the “DGOI Circular”). The DGOI Circular intends to provide the guidelines and the optimization of the immigration functions in implementing the temporary restrictions for foreigners who wish to enter Indonesia.

The DGOI Circular mandates attaché, immigration technical staff, or foreign service officials to comply with the following provisions:

Temporarily rejects visa applications, except for visit visas applications with a 1 (one) way trip for humanity purposes, such as visiting or assisting parents or siblings who are sick, passed away, or in need of medical assistance in Indonesia.
The foregoing visas may only be issued by immigration officials or foreign service officials in an embassy/consulate only if the relevant visa applications meet the requirements under applicable laws and regulations, and the applications include the reasons for the applications.
If such visas are granted, the attaché, immigration technical staff, or foreign service officials shall immediately report such granting to the Director General of Immigration.

The DGOI Circular also instructs the Head of Immigration Division to continuously report and conduct assistance, control, and supervision for the implementation of these temporary restrictions.

In addition, Head of Immigration offices are expected to do the following:

To provide entry stamps for foreigners who:
- hold diplomatic visas or official visas for official visits and their position is at least at the ministerial level,
- hold diplomatic stay permits or official stay permits,
- hold limited stay permits or permanent stay permits,
- hold visit visas and limited stay permit visas issued after the DGOI Circular enters into force based on the consideration and a written special permit from the relevant Ministry(ies)/Agency(ies), and
- are part of the transportation crew who enter Indonesia along with a vehicle.
To grant the extension of limited stay permits or permanent stay permits and/or re-entry permits for foreigners who currently reside overseas but their stay permits are about to expire during the temporary restrictions,
To supervise and control anything related to immigration checking, and
To continuously report and conduct assistance, control, and supervision for the implementation of the temporary restrictions.

According to the Task Force Circular, foreigners are prohibited from entering Indonesia until January 25, 2021 unless they hold a diplomatic visa or an official visa for official visits and their position is at least at the ministerial level, a diplomatic stay permit or an official stay permit, a limited stay permit or a permanent stay permit, or obtain a written special permit from the relevant Ministry(ies)/Agency(ies).

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January 21, 2021

Please contact Johannes C. Sahetapy-Engel [jsahetapyengel@aksetlaw.com] and I. Vivi N. Sidabutar [isidabutar@aksetlaw.com] for further information] for further information.

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